Retro-fitting an existing building and new construction are two somewhat different permitting processes but both can be accomplished expeditiously at Melbourne International Airport.

New Construction Permitting Process

1. The Airport hosts a pre-permitting meeting with all permitting departments of the City (Planning, Engineering, Water & Sewer, Building and Fire Safety), the Client and their A&E firm and key Airport personnel. This step is not a requirement but greatly expedites the permitting process by identifying concerns.

2. Site Plan review by the City Engineering Department. Building plans do not need to be complete at this point but can be turned into the Building Department for review, if and when ready.

3. Concurrent with Site Plan review is the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJWMD) permit review. Although much of the Airport has had a Phase 1 Environmental Assessment conducted, this step is still needed.

4. The Airport engineer and Client meet with utility providers (FP&L, Bright House, AT&T, City Water and Sewer, Florida City Gas etc.) to plan site utility improvements, if required.

5. The Airport reviews the site plan and building elevations for conformity with Airport Industrial and Aviation Industrial Park standards. This is a quick process (one to three days) particularly when the Airport is brought into the process early.

6. The Building permit review is completed by City.

7. Concurrently with the Building permit review an airspace notice is filed with the FAA. The Airport will do this once building heights and location of building has been established. FAA requires a 30-day notice prior to any above ground construction.

8. The normal permitting process is 60 to 90 days, however, expedited permitting can shorten this time.

Minor Retrofitting an Existing Building

1. Follow steps 5 & 6 above. Steps 1 - 4 & 7 above are not necessary unless there are extensive interior changes, primarily electrical and plumbing. A preliminary meeting is usually scheduled in any case to make sure there are no complications.

2. Permitting can be completed in a few weeks.

Costs

Permit costs can be complicated and are usually determined by the square footage of the project. For a complete listing, see: